[Windflier]

There are some things that are more than a sum of their pieces, better than the design, and perform far beyond what is expected. The M-1 rifle, the "Jeep" the "Deuce-and-a-Half", the C-47, the M1911, the Huey helicopter, and the B-17 are all on that list.

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

If it ain’t Boeing, I ain’t going. No Lancaster or Liberator could have survived that.

[Menehune56]

What an awesome account that I’d not heard of before and truly amazing photos. Thank you!

[Menehune56]

What an awesome account that I’d not heard of before and truly amazing photos. Thank you!

[bootless]

WOW Ping.

[shove_it]

They don’t make ‘em like they used to. Great story and pics, thanks!

[Sequoyah101]

Where did this come from?

Impressive but I doubt it crossed the channel to the UK. More like somewhere back in N. Africa from the looks of the sand.

[Delhi Rebels]

Martin Caidin wrote a history of the B-17 that is absolutely fascinating. He tells the story of one B-17 that landed at its base in England. When the ground crew opened the hatch they found one of the door gunners badly wounded...and every other crewman, including both pilots, dead at their positions.

[KeyLargo]

Where online can this article be found?

URL?

[centurion316]

I don’t know who did the write-up or when, but they didn’t know what they were talking about. This aircraft was damaged over the port of Tunis. That’s in Tunisia, on the coast of North Africa. They didn’t come from England and they certainly did not return there.

The 97th Bomb Group was reassigned from the 8th Air Force to the 12th Air Force in November, 1942. At the time of this mission, they were stationed in Algeria, and the damaged aircraft returned to their base after the collision. Take a look at the pictures, not exactly the English countryside.

[2sheds]

Most beatiful plane ever built. Stories of their ruggedness and strength are eclipsed only by the men who crewed them.

This crew was involved in the famous "Piggy Back" incident on December 31, 1944.

Bill Lawley, Walter Truemper, and Archibald Mathies

David R. Kingsley

[doublecansiter]

The B-17 is one of my all time favorite aircraft. All most
indestructible. Well known for bringing its crew back home
in spite of damage that would have brought down lesser airplanes.

This story is also well known. They think the German fighter
pilot was already dead, killed by a B-17 gunner, when he
crashed into the B-17.

But there are a couple of things wrong with this account.

1. The 97th Bomb Group was based in North Africa at that
time, not England. Their base was in Algeria or Libya.
Still a great feat of airman ship to get her home.

2. The photograph was most likely taken from another B-17,
not a escorting P-51 fighter. P-51’s did not start flying
escort until 1944.

Still a great story.

Mike

[GreyFriar]

Windflier, thank you for posting this.

[thecodont]

Incredible story! I can't help but wonder if Steven Spielberg used it as the basis for his episode of "Amazing Stories" - "The Mission" (1985) -- which also featured a damaged B-17 and a trapped tail gunner.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0511124/

[Fiji Hill]

The turn back toward England

England? One would think that a bomber damaged over Tunis wold have flown to a base in Malta, Algeria or Libya.

[M Kehoe]

Wow. Methinks a miracle.

Don't know why, but this reminded of a Twilight Zone episode (ball gunner, no landing gear).

5.56mm

[jttpwalsh]

My Dad’s neighbor, in Syracuse, a few years older than Dad, enlisted, after Pearl. The story I was told; as a B-17 Top Gunner (position behind the cockpit), during one mission, he bent down to pick up his dropped cigarette. While he was bent over, the plexiglass dome was blown to bits. One of those cases where smoking doesn’t kill ;)

[righttackle44]

I love the B-17--my relative was a B-17 flight engineer/top turret gunner. I don't know how many crews and ships he went through, but the B-17s brought him home safely many times.

We also have to pay great homage to the B-24s and B-25s. B-24s could become flaming coffins fairly quickly, and B-25s were like tough little flyweight prize fighters.

God bless all the crews.

[csmusaret]

Here:.....http://www.secondworldwar.org.uk/b17pub.html

[wideminded]

I went on a tour of a B17 recently at an air museum. The most surprising thing to me was the narrow bridge/catwalk running through the bomb bay area that was the only way to get between the front and rear of the plane.

[Born Conservative]

You forgot the A-10 Warthog.